Improvement in wagon-brakes



R. ROBERTS.

Wagon-Brake s.

Patented Fb. 4,1873.

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ATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT ROBERTS, OF DUBUQUE, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON-BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,4911, datedFebruary 4, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ltonnn'r ROBERTS, of Dubuque, in the county ofDubuque and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Wagon-Brakes; and do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a wagonbrake, and in the mode of operating the same,

as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing which formsa part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a plan view ofthe running-gear of a wagon with my brake attached. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same with a part removed, and Fig. 3 is a rear view.

A represents the hind axle, with wheels B B, hounds O O, and bolster D.My brake is operated by a portion of the load on the hind bolster D,which is made of iron instead of wood, as they are generally made,because it is better adapted for this brake as well as more durable thanwood. On the under side of the bolster D, near each end, is bolted orriveted a block, (0, having a hole through it, into which a crank, 11,works. The cranks b b are welded or keyed on the ends of a shaft orroller, d, which works in collars e e, fastened by bolts to blocks Efitted to the hounds and axle, as shown in Fig. 3. Over the outer endsof these blocks are metal plates f, through which the bolts for thecollars 6 pass, and against which the cranks I) wear. H is a plate ofiron bolted on the under side of the axle A, with a hole at each end toallow two iron rods, h h, attached to the bolster D to work up and downin, for the purpose of keeping the bolster from tipping backward andforward, and at the same time allow the bolster to work up and down. Grrepresents the brakebar, which is connected with the cranks b b by rods2' t. At or near each end of the brakewith the double-tree.

bar G is a flat iron standard, I, upon which the brake-block J slides upand down by means of one or more collars, 7:, attached to thebrake-block, and at the upper end of each standard is a shoulder orother suitable projection to prevent the brake-block from sliding offwhen backing. ,To the center of the shaft or roller at is welded acrank, in, with a hole at the lower end, into which a rod, n, is con-.nected. This rod passes forward and connects to the center of a chain,19, the ends of which go each side of a roller, r, and are hooked to abent iron piece or rod, 8. This piece or rod passes under thedouble-tree, and the pin which fastens the same to the tongue K alsopasses through or in the bend of said iron piece or rod. There is aslot, at, in the tongue K, to allow said pin to slide back and forth Theroller 0" is grooved circumferentially for the chain 12 to roll on whenthe wagon is turning corners, and it is pivoted between the sand-boardand reach by the king-bolt passing down through it.

When the horses draw on the double-tree, the brake-blocks are thrownfrom the wheels by the connections sp n operating through the crank into turn the shaft or roller 01 in its bearings, and this, by the cranksZ) Z) and rods ii, pushes the brake-bar G forward. When the wagon isgoing down grade the horses slack up on the double-tree, which allowsthe load on the hind bolster D to turn the shaft or roller 61 to pressthe brake-blocks against the wheels, thereby retarding or braking thesame. When the wagon is backing the blocks J J will slide up on thestandards I I, and when the horses pull again the brake-blocks will falldownward again.

On the brake-bar G are two rods, t t, to bolt or hook the wagon-box orhay or wood rack to.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the bolster D, cranks b b, shaft d, rods t t, andbrake-bar G, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially asand for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The perforated plate H attached to the In testimony that I claim theforegoing I have hereunto set my hand. this'23d day of August, 1872.

ROBERT ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

HORACE TUTTLE, W. H. MoRsE.

